Lisbon Treaty - Irish Ratification
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Ireland is the only country in the European Union to run a referendum in order to enable ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) of the European Union. This will take place on 12 June 2008.
There is confusion in Ireland over whether this will be good for the country or otherwise, and an excess of information from many extreme points of view is adding to this. This article has been created in order to invite an impartial combination of sources into a brief summary to help the general public. Please do not add sensational contributions to this educational article.
[edit] Main Issues Under Discussion
Yes = In favour of signing the Lisbon Treaty
No = Against signing the Lisbon Treaty
[edit] Automatic right to a referendum on future changes
Yes:
- The Treaty specifies that Europe can only do what Member States authorise it to do, that their national identities and essential state functions must be respected, and that all Member States must be treated equally. For instance Ireland's policy on war and military neutrality cannot be overturned by the EU.[1]
- For the first time a mechanism is being put in place so that National Parliaments will be able to signal that they are unhappy with a particular proposal from Brussels. There will be a possibility of referring such a case to the European Court of Justice if the Commission is seen to be overstepping the mark.[2]
- Every amendment to the Treaties must be ratified by all member states as at present. In Ireland's case this will mean a referendum as at present.
No:
- The Treaty puts at risk Ireland's automatic right to a referendum on future changes to existing treaties.[3]
Conflict!:
- Every amendment to the Treaties must be ratified by all member states as at present. In Ireland's case this will mean a referendum as at present.
- The Treaty puts at risk Ireland's automatic right to a referendum on future changes to existing treaties.
There appears to be conflict in both positions.
[edit] EU power and ability to stop decisions
Yes:
- The Treaty will give the European Union a better and more effective system of making decisions. [4]
- All EU spending, including agricultural spending for the first time, must be approved by MEPs.[5]. This makes EU expenditure more democratic and accountable to directly elected representatives.
- The Treaty specifies what powers the EU has, and that it can only be given powers by the member states.
- National Parliaments are given a greater role in overseeing and scrutinising proposed EU measures.
No:
- The Treaty gives the EU too much power and reduces our ability to stop decisions that are not in Ireland’s interests.[6]
[edit] International relations, security, trade and economic policy
Yes:
- Ireland has been given a special arrangement which allows it to participate in EU measures on criminal law and police cooperation on a case-by-case basis. [7]
- It enables the EU to develop energy, tourism, sport, and space policies.[8]
- 95% of European laws, including justice and home affairs issues for the first time, become subject to amendment or veto by MEPs ('co-decision'). [9]
No:
- It gives 105 additional powers to the EU on issues such as international relations, security, trade and economic policy. And in more than 60 of these areas we will lose our right to stop laws not in our national interest.[10]
[edit] EU Foreign Minister, common defense and foreign policies
Yes:
- The Treaty does not involve changes in areas of sensitivity to Ireland such as taxation and defense. Unanimity is preserved for all decisions in these areas. This means that all Member States must agree to any new proposals in these areas, and the 'Foreign Minister' is only a voice to relay an agreed position. [11]
No:
- The Treaty creates an EU Foreign Minister and common defense and foreign policies, and allows the EU to act on the international stage in the same way as a state and to speak on our behalf.[12]
[edit] Neutrality
Yes:
- Unanimity will be retained for decisions on sensitive issues such as foreign policy etc.[13]
- It facilitates the continuation of Ireland's respected role in military missions under UNO mandates and respects the application of Ireland's national 'Triple Lock' mechanism regarding such missions.[14]
- Ireland's policy on war and military neutrality cannot be overturned by the EU. [15]
No:
- The Treaty erodes neutrality by drawing us into a common defense and obliging us to increase military spending.[16]
[edit] Voting strength on the Council of Ministers
Yes:
- The new and old voting systems are not strictly comparable, and analysing them is complex - there are about 67 million voting combinations. The Treaty reduces our ability to get wanted legislation passed by about 6%, increases our ability to block legislation by the same amount. Our voting weight increases compared to 12 countries, decreases compared to 14. We will have about 60% of our former voting weight compared to Germany, 80% compared to the UK, 101% compared to Spain, and 120% compared to Poland.
No:
- The Treaty cuts our voting strength on the Council of Ministers by more than half.[17]
[edit] Right to a Commissioner
Yes:
- It caps the number of Commissioners in the European Commission at two-thirds the number of Member States (i.e. 18), with equal rotation of Commissioners between all countries. Each country will nominate a Commissioner for two out of every three five-year terms.[18] We will still have an automatic right to a Commissioner at due points in the rotation. Further, the Commission will be reduced whether Lisbon is ratified or not, because a reduction was agreed in the Nice Treaty.
- The reduction in the number of Commissioners creates a more manageable and efficient Commission, thereby reducing the bureaucracy and expenditure involved in its running.
No:
- The Treaty ends our automatic right to a Commissioner.[19]
[edit] Workers rights and public services
Yes:
- The Treaty enables the EU to ratify the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.[20]
- The Charter of Fundamental Rights is made legally binding and therefore more influential than its current persuasive effect. The Charter safeguards and accentuates a range of current and new rights including human rights, family rights, social rights and rights of the elderly.
No:
- The Treaty seriously undermines workers rights and public services.[21]
[edit] Nuclear energy
Yes:
- The Treaty adds the fight against climate change to the EU's objectives.[22] It does not mandate the use of nuclear energy.
No:
- The Treaty mandates the EU to promote nuclear energy.[23]
[edit] Tackling global poverty and inequality
Yes:
- The Treaty ensures that national governments can continue to grant state aid to promote regional development, and employment, social and environmental objectives.[24]
- For the first time the European Charter of Fundamental Rights will become legally binding within the EU. These rights include rights such as the right to life and the prohibition of torture as well as a range of economic, social and cultural rights, such as the right to engage in work and conduct business. In practical terms, it means that if a person feels that their rights are not being adequately protected in their own country by their own government, in its implementation of EU law, they will now have recourse to the European Court of Justice. So while the rights contained in the Charter are not new, in that Ireland has already signed up to the Charter, they are now afforded a greater level of protection under the Reform Treaty.[25]
No:
- The Treaty undermines the EU’s commitment to tackling global poverty and inequality.[26]
Conflict:
- How can the adoption of a charter undermine a commitment, Does it not show commitment.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.heart-of-europe.ie/reasons.html
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.vote4europe.ie/
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.vote4europe.ie/
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.vote4europe.ie/faq.php
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
- ^ http://www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/whyyes/
- ^ http://www.heart-of-europe.ie/reasons.html
- ^ http://www.no2lisbon.ie/en/topic/5
[edit] External links
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
[edit] Official websites
- Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008 – Oireachtas site, showing the stages of the bill's passage.
- The Lisbon Treaty – Referendum Commission
- Reform Treaty – An explanatory guide – Government of Ireland
- Reform Treaty – Department of Foreign Affairs
- Official Treaty website – Europa
- Irish Commission Repesentation website – Europa
- Treaty of Lisbon (EU Reform Treaty) – National Forum on Europe
[edit] Political party campaigns
- Vote 4 Europe – Fianna Fáil
- Heart of Europe – Fine Gael
- EU Reform Treaty – Green Party
- YES to the Lisbon Reform Treaty...for a better Europe – Labour Party
- No 2 Lisbon Treaty Website – Sinn Féin
- No to Lisbon – éirígí
- Lisbon – A Treaty Too Far – Worker's Party
[edit] Groups
- Yes to Lisbon – Irish Alliance for Europe
- No to Lisbon campaign – Libertas
- VoteNo.ie
- Campaign Against the EU Constitution
- Cóir – Lisbon Treaty No Campaign
- Vote No to Lisbon Treaty – People Before Profit Alliance
- Vote No – Workers Solidarity Movement
[edit] Articles
- Green Light from the Emerald Isle? Ten Questions and Answers about Ireland spotlight europe, Bertelsmann Stiftung, 15 May 2008
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